Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a method for the automatic operation of a vehicle in an autonomous driving operation requiring no user action by means of a driver assistance system.
German patent document DE 10 2006 057 842 A1 discloses a method for supporting the driver of a vehicle in the lateral control of the vehicle and a driver assistance system for carrying out the method. The method involves recording the surroundings of the vehicle in order to detect objects in the surroundings of the vehicle and/or the course of a lane of traffic being driven along by the vehicle. A lateral control system intervention for the generation of a course-correcting system yawing moment or a course-correcting system yaw rate is triggered when there is the risk that the vehicle could collide with one of the detected objects or could leave the detected lane of traffic. The driver can interrupt the lateral control system intervention by operating the steering wheel of the vehicle, the accelerator pedal of the vehicle and/or the brake pedal of the vehicle, if the extent of the respective operation differs in terms of value from a reference value allocated to the respective operation by more than a predetermined degree of tolerance. The method is employed in a driver assistance system of a vehicle in order to enable control to be taken over from the driver by the lateral control of the vehicle after a systematic triggering of the lateral control system intervention.
Furthermore, German patent document DE 10 2009 048 954 A1 discloses a method and a device for the automatic operation of a vehicle in an autonomous driving operation requiring no user action. The method includes recording a current traffic situation, checking whether the traffic situation fulfils a first criterion and unlocking a function that offers a secondary employment to a driver during the autonomous driving operation, the secondary employment not relating to a driving operation of the vehicle if the first criterion is fulfilled.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for the automatic operation of a vehicle in an autonomous driver operation requiring no user action by means of a driver assistance system that is an improvement over the prior art.
A method for the automatic operation of a vehicle in an autonomous driver operation requiring no user action by means of a driver assistance system provides, according to the invention, that a driver of the vehicle is informed in advance about an imminent automatic intervention of the driver assistance system in longitudinal and/or transverse dynamics in the autonomous driving operation by an automatic emission of a notice.
By way of the automatic emission of the notice, the driver of the autonomously driving vehicle is informed about the imminent, automatic intervention of the driver assistance system, such that acceptance of the driver regarding the autonomous driving operation is increased. By way of the notice, the driver is informed that the driver assistance system possesses information about future incidents relating to the vehicle and a driving route. Relaxed and stress-free driving in the automatic, i.e. autonomous, driving operation of the vehicle is thereby afforded to the driver of the vehicle.
An acclimatization period of the driver regarding the activatable, autonomous driving operation of the vehicle is made simpler and temporally shorter by way of the automatic emission of the notice, whereby future journeys in the autonomous driving operation become more relaxing for the driver of the vehicle. In turn, the acceptance, a degree of usage of the driver assistance system and thus also the security and comfort gains in the autonomous driving operation are thereby increased.
In one potential aspect of the method, the notice is emitted at a predetermined point in time before the automatic intervention into longitudinal and/or transverse dynamics, such that the driver of the vehicle is informed in good time that an impending traffic situation, for example imminent cornering, has been detected by corresponding components of the driver assistance system.
In a preferred embodiment, the notice about the imminent automatic intervention is emitted haptically, whereby the risk of cognitive overstimulation of the driver of the vehicle as a result of an optical and/or acoustic emission, in particular blinking and/or beeping, can at least be reduced. In other words, the driver is informed, by way of the haptic notice, about an imminent intervention by the driver assistance system without intrusive, disruptive, acoustic signals and potentially ignorable optical signals, whereby a contribution to the increase in comfort and driver relief is achieved.
In one potential embodiment, an inflatable side padding of a dynamic-driving vehicle seat is automatically filled with a gas or liquid as the notice for an approaching bend and an intervention of the driver assistance system caused thereby. The driver is informed about the imminent cornering by the filled-up side padding, whereby the driver is, at the same time, made aware of the fact that the driver assistance system is taking over the task of driving around the bend. Due to the automatic filling of the side padding before driving around the bend, the driver is in particular automatically informed as to what movement the vehicle will carry out in the near future.
As an alternative or in addition to filling the side padding, a transverse inclination of a vehicle body is automatically changed as the notice for the approaching bend and the intervention of the driver assistance system caused thereby. In particular, the transverse inclination of the vehicle body is changed in such a way so that it is as if the vehicle were driving around a relatively slight steep corner. The driver of the vehicle participates in the transverse inclination of the vehicle body, whereby the driver is also hereby made aware as to what movement the vehicle will soon be automatically carrying out.
Provision can in turn alternatively or additionally be made for the notice for the approaching bend and the intervention of the driver assistance system caused thereby to be emitted automatically by changing a transverse inclination of the vehicle seat. In this instance, the vehicle seat is relatively lightly tilted laterally, wherein the vehicle seat is preferably tilted laterally in accordance with a movement of the driver in the vehicle seat while driving around the bend.
Emitting a notice for the approaching bend and the intervention of the driver assistance system by way of an automatic change to a shape of a steering wheel caused thereby represents a further or additional alternative for the notice for the driving task being taken over by the driver assistance system. It is hereby also displayed to the driver that the vehicle is driving around the bend in the autonomous driving operation, such that the driver is not forced to handle it, in particular make a steering intervention.
It is also conceivable for the notice regarding the approaching bend, particularly preferably additionally, to be optically emitted in a display region of an instrument panel and/or in a display region of a field of vision display. In this instance, the course of a lane of traffic located ahead of the vehicle can be displayed, such that the driver of the vehicle sees that driving around a bend is imminent for the vehicle, the driving being undertaken by the driver assistance system in the autonomous driving operation.
A driving trajectory of the vehicle that is to be expected is advantageously determined with the aid of recorded signals of an environmental sensor system, with the aid of recorded data of a digital map and/or a satellite-supported navigation system and/or with the aid of determined information from vehicle-to-vehicle communication and/or with the aid of determined information from vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. A degree of transverse acceleration that is to be expected can be determined with the aid of this identified driving trajectory.